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Topic: Bialy (Read 2373 times)

I have been trying to make a real Bialy for a few years. I give it a shot every 6 months or so. Today I finally got it right. There are several internet recipes floating around, none of which really hit the spot IMO. Mimi Sheraton formerly NY Times food writer did a book in 2000 called "The Bialy Eaters". She has the recipe from Kossars in NY - which is 100lbs flour, 7 gallons water, 2 lbs salt & 1lb yeast. Kossars says they have tried small batches and they don't come out as well as the large batch, which I believe has been discussed on pizzamaking.com in various other topics.

They helped her make a small batch recipe for her book, unfortunately for most non baking readers they will fail in trying to use that recipe which calls for 5-6 cups high gluten flour, 3 cups cold water, 2 tbs salt 1/2 oz fresh bakers yeast.

If you don't wind up with a moist elastic dough, you should adjust water or flour to get there.

Mince 1/2 small onion & mix in tablespoon of bread crumbs - you could also use garlic & or poppy seeds in addition. Let this sit for a few hours covered.

I did a 1-2 minute mix with a Bosch and a room temp (65F) 12 hour rise until doubled. Machine knead at this point if you can, dough will be pretty firm but moist. I did a hand knead instead for a few minutes until it became painful to try kneading anymore. Put it back in your bowl or container covered for 1.5 hours or so in a warm room 70F. Punch down dough and portion out into 14 small 90gram approx balls and let sit under cloth for about 45 minutes, dust with flour first. Preheat oven & Fibrament stone to 550F.

Pick up ball which has spread out a bit and make an indent with your thumb as you stretch it into a 4 inch or so round. Liberally dust with flour on both sides, then fill the center crater with the onion mixture (about a teaspoon or more). I slid 3-4 of them off a pizza peel onto the stone for 8 minute bake. Again dusting with flour gives it the traditional look and feel, it is a sticky dough and the flour helps.

Best eaten 10 minutes after baking with butter or cream cheese. Quickly freeze any leftovers as they will go stale fast and slice them first so you can pop them in the toaster.

If you don't spread the dough out wide enough you get the puffy Mt. Vesuvius looking roll ! see photo

The original recipe calls for 15-20 minutes @450F. They come out much better @550F for 8 minutes. Also the hydration in the original home recipe provided is beyond wet, it is like bread soup.

That does look good,,,but it does not looklike a Brooklyn made Bialy that I used to buy.....I have a local Bagel place in the poconos and their Bialy blow.I have found a few places in NJ that make very good Bialy,and I buy 6 at a timeand they will stay freash for 3 days.I would love and try and make a Bialy.Was wondering if I can use any extra pizza dough to make a Bialy...JT

and they will stay freash for 3 days.I would love and try and make a Bialy.Was wondering if I can use any extra pizza dough to make a Bialy...JT

If a Bialy stays fresh for more than a few hours, it ain't a Bialy. You can usually stare at them and they will start to go stale. Everyone's opinion and point of reference for every food item is different. The reputation for the famous "Kossars" in NYC has faded somewhat in that they are softer and airy with less onion then they used to be. Same way with Bagels, now people growing up with Bagels expect this huge piece of soft sandwich like roll with a hole and various combination's of things added to it.

A local market in Portland makes a somewhat decent tasting attempt at a Bialy using a Ciabatta dough. It's ok, just not what I knew growing up in NY in the 60's. The places making Bagels & Bialy in NYC migrated out to Long Island and New Jersey and you could go everywhere and get good stuff. Last time I was back in NY I went to 2nd Avenue Bagel which was formerly great and was then not very good.

As to pizza dough, if you are making a high gluten well hydrated dough, go for it. If not then you will get a mini pizza.